Combination safety chair and table



Feb. 8, 1949. c. w. MILLER COMBINATION SAFETY CHAIR AND TABLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 6, 1946 INVENTOR.

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COMBINATION SAFETY CHAIR AND TABLE Filed Sept. 6, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1.5 Q& 15

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COMBINATION SAFETY CHAIR AND TABLE Filed Sept. 6, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I/TITVENTOR.

Q'Zarezwe ZJMtjljer Patented Feb. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION SAFETY CHAIR AND TABLE Clarence W. Miller, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 8, 1948, Serial No. 695,228

6 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a combined table and chair for a young child; the table-top being provided with an opening to receive the child's body and the back-rest of the chair; the size of the opening being controlled by a slidably mounted panel of the table-top.

My invention has for its object the provision of a structure wherein the chair is removably held in place and the normal or proper position of the chair maintained by the leg supporting foot-rest of the chair which is locked in a downward and forwardly disposed position conforming to the natural position of the childs legs.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an adjustable chair-back and a pivotally mounted leg supporting foot-rest which may be swung out of chair locking position substantially into parallel relation with the table-top when it is desired to remove the chair or transport the table and chair.

A further object is the provision of suitable brackets secured to the chair-sides for removably holding a hook-like rod whereby the chair, after being removed from the table. may be suspended from the back of an automobile seat in backback relation and in child supporting position.

The aforementioned objects and advantages as well as other advantages inherent in the invention will all be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved combination chair and table with the lower ends of the table-legsbroken away and a retracted position of the slidable top panel shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a crosssectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 as viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an intermediate sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the combined chair and table in collapsed condition.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the detached chair with applied hook rods showing the chair applied to the back of an automobile seat of which a portion is indicated in outline.

Figure '7 is a front elevation as viewed from the left in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective of one of the hook-rod receiving brackets secured at the sides of the chair.

In the particular exempliflcation, the table is shown with a rectangular frame consisting of side rails l5, rigidly secured together in any suitable manner and the frame, at the corners. provided with legs 16, which, preferably are hingedly secured to the inner sides of the frame so as to fold within the frame in substantially parallel relation with the table-top which consists of th sections l1, ll immovably secured to the side rails lli as shown in Figure 2; while the intermediate short section I! is slidably arranged on the intermediate rails 19, i9 extending from front to rear of the table beneath the horizontal plane of the immovable top sections il so that all top sections may be flush with each other.

In order that the intermediate section II may be retracted or slid outwardly to facilitate introduction of the child into the suspended chair. the front side rail i5 is provided with a slot at 2|! (see Figure 1) of length commensurate with the width of the slidable panel I8; the side rail I! adjacent the slot 20 being provided with any suitable panel locking means as indicated at 2i in Figure 1. The section 18 is made short so as to provide an opening in the table top for introduction of the child; and the inner end of the section is cut somewhat arcuately to fit the contour of the child's body.

Any of the well known automatic leg locking devices may be employed for locking the folding legs in set-up or upright position.

The intermediate rails l9, l9, which are spaced apart in keeping with the width of the opening between the permanent top sections l1, H on their inner opposing sides, are shown provided with ribs 22 extending lengthwisely of the rear ends of the rails and provide supporting means for the child holding chair to be described.

The chair consists of pieces or panels 23, 22 provided on their outer surfaces and slightly beneath the top edges of the panels with horizontally disposed grooves 24, see Figures 2 and 6, for receiving the ribs 22 of the intermediate rails i9, i9, as shown in Figure 2; and these chair side panels 23, 23 are held apart by the seat 25 and by the transverse rod 26 at the rear end of the chair. The side panels 23, 23 adjacent the rear end or side oi the chair are provided with a number of spaced apart upwardly sloping slots 21 for slidably holding the chair back panel 2|; the slots 21 being spaced apart to "ermit the back panel 28 to be positioned in keeping with the size of the child.

The forward end of the seat is provided with a pi otally mounted foot-rest roviding frame consisting of the two side bars 29, pivotally secured intermediate their ends to the respective side panels 23, 23, as indicated at 30. The side bars 29, intermediate their pivots 30 and their lower ends, are secured together by the transverse brace 3|; and adjacent their lower ends are preferably provided with a pair of vertically spaced transverse grooves 32 to receive the foot-board 33, thus enabling the elevation of the foot-board 33 to be adjusted in keeping with the length of the child's legs.

The intermediate rails l9, ill on their lower sides are each provided with a vertical cut-out or notch sloping upwardly and terminating in an abrupt shoulder as shown at 34, see Figures 3 and 4; the notches being adapted to receive the free upper swinging ends of the foot-rest side bars 29 as shown and thereby firmly hold the pivoted foot-rest frame in proper forwardly sloping position at the lower end as shown in Figures 3 and 4, while at the same time holding the chair against forward sliding movement.

In order to prevent the child sliding forward, I provide the safety strap 35 whose ends are attached to the chair bottom 25 intermediate the chair side panels and to the slidable top panel it; at least one of the ends being removably secured in place.

The inner lower marginal portion of the slidable panel l8 preferably is provided with a reen-. forcing strip and finger grasp as shown at 36 whose ends may be provided with transverse slots to receive the small ribs 31 formed on the rails I9; or the ribs or tongue may be formed on the strip 36 and the grooves on the rails l9, if preferred.

The chair side panels 23 on their outer sides, adjacent the rear ends, are each provided with a vertically disposed bracket 38, see Figures 3 and 6, and shown in perspective in Figure 8. These brackets 38 are shown provided with suitable screw-holes 39 to enable the brackets to be rigidly secured to the chair side panels; the ends of the brackets being bent outwardly and the lower end or flange 40 provided with a hole 4|, while the upper end or flange 42 is provided with a slot 43 open at the outer end of the flange.

These brackets provide means whereby the ball or hook-rod 44 is detachably secured to the chair. The ball 44 may be in the form of a rod bent into loop form so that the ends of the bent rod or ball may be spread to receive the chair therebetween, while the intermediate portion of the loop is bent into hook-form so as to hook over the attendants arm or over the back of an automobile seat 46, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

The ends of the bail forming rod 44 are bent forwardly as shown at 4Bsee Figure 6so as to engage beneath the bottom flange 40 after the bent ends of the rod have been inserted through the holes 4|. The rod is then swung upwardly and the parallel legs of the bail sprung into the slots 43 of the brackets. The ball may be easily removed by spreading the legs or sides out of the slots 43 and then swinging the upper loop end of the bail forwardly until the lower hook-ends 4' lift out of the holes 4i, in the lower flange of the bracket; the bail being removed when the chair is to be placed in position in the table.

In order to remove the chair from the table, the foot-rest frame is swung upwardly thereby moving the upper ends of frame members 28 out of the notches 34. Upon releasing the safety strap 35, the chair may he slid forwardly beyond (ill 4 the rail-ribs 22 which terminate a considerable distance removed from the forward side of the table as can more clearly be seen in Figure 4.

If desired for appearance and for the child's comfort, the inner sides of the side panels 23 and the forward side of the back supporting board 28 may be padded or cushioned as may also be done to the chair bottom or seat 25.

As is apparent the childs seat is surrounded by a non-tiltable table capable of holding the child's dishes while feeding or its toys; the raised ledge at all side edges of the table-top preventing things shifting oil the table-top.

The exempliflcation disclosed in the drawings is believed to be the best embodiment of the invention, but structural modifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A combination chair and table comprising a table provided with a pair of spaced apart parallel rails provided on their opposing sides with ribs extending part way along the length of the rails and with notches on their bottom surfaces, the table-top having an enlarged opening between the rails at the rear side of the table and a short slidable top-panel forward of said opening; and a chair adapted to be mounted beneath said opening, provided with rigid sides and bottom and a foot-rest frame pivotally connected intermediate its length to the sides of the chair to provide upstanding shoulders above the pivot points, the chair-sides adjacent their tops having transversely disposed grooves adapted to receive the ribs of said table-rails whereby the chair is removably held in place, while said foot-rest frame shoulders are adapted to engage said rail notches and thereby eifect locking engagement between the chair and said table-rails.

2. A combination chair and table comprising a table whose top intermediate opposite sides and at the rear side of the table is provided with an enlarged opening and parallel rails secured on the underside of the top on opposite sides of said opening and extending from the rear side of the table forwardly; and a chair mounted beneath said opening and having rigid sides arranged in interengaging sliding relation with said table-rails whereby the chair is removably supported in place, the chair sides being provided with vertically disposed spaced slots, a footrest providing frame pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the chair sides with the upper end of the frame adapted to effect non-shifting relation with said table-rails when said frame is in substantially vertical position and a chair-back removabiy mounted in the slots of the chairsides.

3. In a combination chair and table of the character described, a table provided with an enlarged opening in its top between the sides and with a pair of parallel rails arranged at opposite sides of said opening and beneath the top and having ribs extending part way along the length of the rails; and a chair provided with rigid bottom and sides, the sides on their outer faces having transversely disposed grooves adapted to receive said rail ribs for slidably supporting the chair, the inner faces of the chair-sides having laterally spaced vertically disposed grooves and a back-rest panel vertically slidable in said grooves.

4. A combination chair and table of the character described, comprising a table whose top between opposite sides is provided with an enlarged opening and with rails beneath the top extending from front to rear on opposite sides of said opening and provided, at their rear ends coextensive with said opening, with longitudinally disposed ribs; a legless chair having rigid sides provided on their outer faces with horizontaly disposed grooves for endwisely receiving said ribs to support the chair in place, a foot-rest frame pivotally secured inte 'nediate its ends to the chairsides, the upper ends of the frame being adapted to effect holding engagement with said rails while the lower ends of the frame have transverse vertlcally spaced grooves, and a foot-board slidably mounted in said last mentioned grooves.

5. A combination chair and table comprising a table whose top is composed of immovable sections and a slidably mounted short section intermediate the immovable section formed to provide a child receiving opening a pair of spaced rails extending from front to rear whereby the slidable section is supported in place; and a legless chair suspended beneath said opening provided with rigid sides having interengaging rib-and-groove slidable supporting relation with the rear ends of said rails, a foot-rest member having upwardly disposed side bars pivotally secured intermediate their ends to the chair sides with the upper ends of the bars arranged to effect binding relation with said rails to hold the foot-rest in position and prevent sliding movement of the chair, the side bars at their lower ends having a vertically adiustable foot-rest.

6. In a chair and table combination of the character described, a table having a top composed of a pair of spaced apart immovable sections and an intermediate slidable short section to provide a child receiving opening at the rear end of the table; a pair of rails arranged beneath the top on opposite sides of said opening for slidably holding said top movable section legless chair provided with a rigid seat and rigid sides immovably secured to the seat, the outer sides of the chair and inner opposing sides of said rails having interengaging rib-and-groove chair supporting relation, chair sides on their inner faces having laterally spaced open ended vertical slots; a back-rest panel vertically slidable in the preselected pair of slots whereby the seat-depth is controlled, and a foot-rest frame having side bars pivotally secured intermediate their ends to the chair sides, the lower ends of said side bars having a vertically adjustable foot-board while the ends of said side bars above their pivot points are adapted to effect interengaging relation with said table rails when the foot-rest frame swings downwardly to therby lock the chair against movement.

CLARENCE W. MIL-hm.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 839,944 Martin "Jan. 1, 190'? 869,472 Agnew Oct. 29, 1907 1,485,291 Walker Aug. 21, 1923 1,742,822 Olson Jan. I, 1930 2,161,657 Hansburg" June 6, 1939 2,383,831 Walker Aug. 2B, 1945 2,397,528 Brandwin Apr. 2, 1946 2,400,134 Pills et a1 May 14, 1946 2,433,090 Cass Dec. 23, 1947 

